long time, as they would be if they were travelling by coach.

C. Yes, but they have not such nice prospects.

U. No; but there are sometimes very interesting sights to be seen at sea. It is a very grand spectacle to look around you on a fine day, although you behold nothing but sea and sky. You almost feel as though you were cut off from the rest of the world, and shut up in solitude; and yet you see that the vessel is cutting her way through the waves, and is speeding across the ocean to the place to which she is bound.

There are

C. But how can they find their way? no roads nor guide-posts to direct them. How can they tell which way they are going?

U. They sail by what is called the mariner's compass. It is a wonderful fact that a thin piece of fine steel, if it has been touched by the loadstone, (a sort of mineral that attracts iron,) if it be fixed on a kind of centre, so` that it can move freely, always points to the north. Now, the mariner's compass is a round box, with a glass top, and having at the bottom a circle, on the edges of which are marked North, and East, and South, and West, and all the points between them. In the middle is a small upright, on which the needle (as it is called) that has been touched by the loadstone, is put; put in such a manner that it can move freely. As it always points to the north, the man who steers the vessel, by looking on it, (and it is always before him for that purpose,) as he knows where the north is, can easily see which way the vessel's head is directed. Knowing the north, he, of course, knows all the other points. It is the business of the steersman to hold the helm with a steady hand, (for the helm, or rudder, is that which governs the motion of the ship,) and to keep his eye fixed on the compass, that so the ship may move in a right direction. And so should we do, my dear children. By looking at the Bible, we see the way in which we should go; and, by the grace of God, we should so govern and direct all our motions, that we may

always go in the right way. Life is a voyage, and our great care must be to sail in such a direction as to find our port in heaven.

C. Now tell us about some of the things you see as you sail along.

U. Sometimes we meet another vessel, and that is very pleasant. It is like meeting a friend in a strange place. I remember, when I was on my first voyage, being called on deck by the Captain, who pointed to what looked only like a small stick on the distant horizon, where sea and sky seemed to meet. "There's a vessel," he said, "and it is coming our way. In a few hours we shall be close to it, and then we can speak to it." This was quite a sight to us all. We kept looking at it, and watching it, as it drew nearer, and we could see it more plainly, till, by and by, we were along-side each other. This was like breaking up our solitude. By putting the sails in a certain position, (which the sailors call heaving-to,) each vessel became stationary for a little time, and the Captains shouted to each other, asking, Where are you from? Where are

you bound? How long have you been out? and so on. All the people stood on deck, looking at each other, as if glad to see new faces. The vessel we met was from New-York, and bound for Liverpool. We told her that we were all well, and that she was to report that she had seen us.

C. How do you mean?

U. Why, in seaport towns the newspapers are always glad to get "shipping intelligence," and put it into a particular part of the paper, and other papers copy it; and so people that are concerned in vessels, by looking at this "ship news," get information that they are often glad to see. On the occasion I have mentioned, the Captain, when he had arrived at Liverpool, reported that on such a day, in such a part of the Atlantic, he had met with "the brig, Anne," and that all was well. This was put into a Liverpool paper, and being copied into one printed in the town where my

friends lived, they saw it, and thus learned that we had proceeded so far on our voyage, and that all was right. And they were very glad to see it, as they knew they would not have letters from me for several weeks.

C. Did you see anything else?

U. Yes; one morning, as I was getting my breakfast, the Captain called me on deck to see a Portuguese man-of-war. I hastened up, and looked around, but nothing was to be seen but ocean and sky. "Where is

"O look

the vessel?" said I: "I cannot see one." again," said the Captain, laughing: "there is one just a-head." "Why, where?" I repeated. "We shall soon have her," said he. I then saw that there was a sailor hanging by the ropes on the side of the vessel, with a bucket in his hand, about to catch something in it; and he soon called out, "There; I have got it." He then brought his bucket to us, and I saw what this Portuguese man-of-war was.

C. O, then, it was not a real ship, uncle?

U. No. There is a curious kind of sea animal, that goes by this name. There are several sorts; but the one that I saw was about the size and shape of an ordinary cucumber, looking just like a bladder full of water, only of an oblong shape. From the lower part hung a number of feelers, like roots, twelve or eighteen inches long, not quite so large as the barrel of a quill, whitish, but in some parts having beautiful colours like the rainbow. On the upper side was a sort of crest, of a frill-like appearance, which the little animal could lift up or take down. The Captain said that this was its sail, and that by the means of it, the animal could move in different directions, according to the wind, as it was floating on the surface of the water. After we had gratified our curiosity, it was put into the sea again, and certainly the little thing erected this curious membrane, as if it were putting up its sail, and wanted to get away from us. Some that I have read of are of a different shape, round and almost flat, and the sail going across it, as if you were to take a whole wafer and lay it

down, and then cut another in halves, and put the half one on its straight edge on the whole one. But both have their feelers, or roots, (for they look like potatoe-shoots,) underneath.

C. Well, now for something else.

U. It was sometimes very amusing to see whole shoals of porpoises, a large, black-looking fish, gamboling about the vessel. I remember one afternoon, we had a whole pack of them, not fewer than forty or fifty, on each side of us. The vessel was going through the water at the rate of eight or ten miles an hour, but the fish beat us hollow. There they were, their dark backs rolling above the waves, and darting before us; then going more slowly, and we saw them behind. Then forward again, as if they were determined to show that they could go before us, and do as they liked. I could almost have thought that the fishes wondered what sort of a thing it was, that was floating along on the top of what they would consider was their own region.

But all was not always pleasant. Mournful things sometimes happen at sea, as well as on land. There was a young man on board, who had been so ill, that he had not left his cabin. He was somewhat better, and one fine forenoon he came on deck, wrapped up in a heavy top-coat, to enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. He sat down near the middle of the deck, and was resting himself in this position, when the vessel rolled suddenly on one side, and as he was taken by surprise, he slipped off his seat, struck in his fall against part of the bulwarks of the deck that was not fastened, and slipped through into the water. There was a cry directly that a man was overboard. As soon as possible the vessel was turned round to get back to the spot, and a boat was lowered with men to go to his assistance. He was seen for a little time floating near the surface, the boat rowed quickly towards him, and on the side of the vessel men were placed to catch hold of him, as they went by; but they were too late. His dress was too heavy; and just as the boat got to the place, he had sunk to rise no more.

Thus unexpectedly and suddenly did he pass into eternity; and the whole ship's company were plunged in gloom. Such events, whether they happen at sea, or on land, should remind us that "in the midst of life we are in death." We may die young; we may live to be old: but die we must; and to die is to go before God our Judge. My dear children, remember that there is a throne of grace, and that you are called to come to God the Saviour who sits on it. Be obedient to the heavenly call, and so shall you be prepared to stand before the throne of judgment.

REMARKABLE PRESERVATION FROM

DROWNING.

(From Campbell's "Memoir of Mr. David Nasmith.") I HEARD to-day of a most remarkable instance of the goodness of God towards the eldest son of Mr. Hercus, the Minister of Greenock; a lad about seventeen, whom I know very well. In walking along the pathway, his foot caught the place cut out in the stone for catching the ropes by, when thrown out from vessels; in consequence of which he was pitched into the sea. He